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Masarat Alam released after 4 yrs

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 3/8/2015 2:26:13 PM

SRINAGAR, Mar 7: Masarat Alam, head of Muslim League and a senior Hurriyat Conference (G) leader, has been released after over four years in jail.
Masarat shot into limelight when he spearheaded the 2010 civilian unrest for sometime after the arrest of Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani. He used to give the protest programme during the unrest till he was arrested by police from the city outskirts after four month long hunt and announcing a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for those helping his arrest.
Sometime after his arrest, Geelani was released and he again took over the command and used to issue to protest calendar. At one time, there were reports that Geelani may announce Masarat as his successor but those in Hurriyat (G) denied it.
Masarat was released today after chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed directed the police to release political prisoners against whom no criminal case is registered.
The state home department today pointed out that his detention under PSA has not been approved by it. The order for his release was received in the afternoon, but police took time in completing requisite formalities including whether he was not wanted in some other case elsewhere in the state.
“We did not approve his detention under PSA when his file was put before us somewhere in January-February this year,” principal secretary home Suresh Kumar told some media persons.
During the last four years, Masarat was repeatedly being booked under Public Safety Act (PSA). The court kept on quashing his detention orders but he was being re-arrested and booked under PSA. The Muslim League chairman continued to remain in jail even after Supreme Court had in 2013 barred preventive detention of Masarat Alam without state government giving him a week to take action against any proposed detention.
While Masarat was being booked under PSA, no criminal case was registered against him. Today the state government ordered that he should not be arrested after his release paving way for his release.
Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajindra Kumar confirmed to media that Masarat was released. “Yes, we have released Masarat Alam,” he said.
Masarat was lodged in Baramulla jail and he was shifted to Srinagar today. A number of people including his relatives, friends and party men reached his residence in old city of Srinagar as the news about his release spread. But Masrat did not reach home till late this evening and continued to be in police custody.’ Technically, he is a released man and we will hand over him to his family any time,” said a senior police officer adding that Masarat is a free man now.